Eternal Hope Drives Holiness

1 John 2:28 - 3:3 

28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. 29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.
3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Because Christ lives in us, we live and remain in Him (John 15:9).  We continue because of His certain promises to never forsake us, persevering eternally, but also in the earnest expectation of His return for judgement and restoration (Romans 8:19, Acts 3:21, Revelation 21:5).  We are to live toward holiness in conforming to Christ through obedience and faith, otherwise we will be ashamed when we face Him; though we are eternally saved from the wrath of His judgement, we are accountable and will answer for our lives (1 Corinthians 3:12-15).  Because He is holy and altogether righteous, those who He gives life to are begotten in His image of that righteousness.  If we do not desire righteousness and practice unrighteousness continually, we are not born of Him.  His children desire to live in ways that reflect Him.  Yes, we are His children!  That is His love given to us in adopting us as His own, calling us His heirs of righteousness which the world cannot fathom.  They do not know us, but He does.  And though we have no clear picture of what we will become when our bodies put on incorruptibility (1 Corinthians 15:51-53) and live before His face continually, we do understand that it will be conformity to Christ Himself as our example and goal.  We will see Him and be made like Him as He mends the broken image of Him in is as at Creation.  This hope of everlasting change, of finished transformation, this brings hope in great joy.  It also drives us in response to pursue holiness (Hebrews 12:14) because He is holy and we desire to be in His presence and pleasing to our Lord.  Hope drives us to holiness.